Brooklyner Sadam Ali gets the opportunity of his boxing lifetime when he gets a crack at a certified masher, Luis Carlos Abregu, on the Bernard Hopkins-Sergey Kovalev card.

Some might think this is a ‘be careful what you ask for, you just might get it’ sort of bout for young Ali, a 2008 US Olympian advised by Anthony Catanzaro, advisor to Paul Malignaggi. Sounds to me like Team Ali has eyes wide open and knows what Abregu is, though, and believes that the potential upside to a bout slated to unfold in Atlantic City on Nov. 8, underneath the Hopkins-Kovalev scrap, is semi-massive. HBO will show the tussle.

Team Ali consists also of father David Ali, and Brooklyn attorney Walter Kane.

“Abregu has the eraser in his right hand,” Catanzaro told me on Wednesday night. “He has fought better competition. But Sadam can outbox him, has faster hands, faster feet. Sadam has to establish range, distance, keep turning Abregu. This is a great platform for Sadam.”

David Ali admits that Abregu is a tall mountain to climb. “Yeah, it’s a big step,” he told me. “More like twenty steps up.” Indeed, Mr. Ali candidly admitted to me that he will be a tad nervous in AC. “Oh yes,” he said. “I love my son, and when he gets hit, I get hit.”

Abregu has a 36-1 (29 KOs) record, which computes to a 78% KO percentage. The Argentine’s top win came against Thomas Dulorme in 2012, or Antonin Decarie in his second to last fight, depending on who you ask. He last gloved up, and got a TKO8 win, over JC Prada in April.

Ali, promoted by Golden Boy after years as an independent, sports a 20-0 mark, with 12 KOs (60%). The 25-year-old fought August 9, and got a win over Jeremy Bryan.

Another Catanzaro client, middleweight Matthew Macklin, is gloving up Saturday. The Irishman, who runs a boxing gym in Spain, has a 30-5 record. He’ll be a support staff on a card topped by Arthur Abraham in Germany. “Mack the Knife” we thought was maybe looking at an all-Irish middleweight showdown which could fill a stadium over there, against Andy Lee. Saturday, he should handle 12-4 Jose Yebes. And if that goes to form, he’ll likely take part in a WBC eliminator with Argentine Jorge Sebastian Heiland, a lefty who has never fought in the US. The WBC ranks him at No. 6, while Macklin is No. 9. Miguel Cotto has the WBC belt, and Marco Antonio Rubio holds the WBC’s interim crown, for the record. The winner of the Macklin-Heiland fight would get a crack at the real-deal WBC title.

COMMENTS

-Radam G :

Sadam Ali and LC Abregu are both hype jobs. But Abregu can crack. And Ali is not anywhere close to being a boksing Mack. He can stink da joint out and "Ali Baba and Forty Thieves" snatch a home-cooking verdict from Abregu. Holla!

-The Shadow :

Sadam Ali and LC Abregu are both hype jobs. But Abregu can crack. And Ali is not anywhere close to being a boksing Mack. He can stink da joint out and "Ali Baba and Forty Thieves" snatch a home-cooking verdict from Abregu. Holla!

In other words, this should be an evenly-fought match!
I also like that this fight, officially, marks the first co-promotion between Golden Boy and Top Rank since 2011 and only the second since 2009.
It's hardly Mayweather-Pacquiao or "what the fans want to see" but hey, it's a start, right?

-deepwater2 :

Its time for Ali to sink or swim. This is a great match-up because it will answer many questions.
Can Ali hang at the top level? His chin might be tested if he tries to trade
Can Abregu emerge as a big name? He took a close decision loss to Bradley a few years back as his only loss.
Will this be Ali's breakout fight or will he sink because he matched himself way too easy coming up?
This is not an easy match up for either guy so this should be a great fight for the fans. This is no tune up or glorified sparring.Solid undercard fight for a great main event. its nice to see GBP,Main Events and Top Rank all working together to make great fights.

-oubobcat :

I think Abregu is going to KO Ali badly in this one.
Abregu is a rugged fighter with a strong right hand. Ali has shown a questionable chin being put down by Jay Krupp and hurt by Jeremy Bryan in his last fight. Abregu is a much better fighter and harder puncher than Ali. Ali may have some success early boxing Abregu but eventually Abregu is going to find that chin of Ali's and it will be good night. I'd be surprised if this fight lasts more than three rounds.

-Radam G :

I think Abregu is going to KO Ali badly in this one.
Abregu is a rugged fighter with a strong right hand. Ali has shown a questionable chin being put down by Jay Krupp and hurt by Jeremy Bryan in his last fight. Abregu is a much better fighter and harder puncher than Ali. Ali may have some success early boxing Abregu but eventually Abregu is going to find that chin of Ali's and it will be good night. I'd be surprised if this fight lasts more than three rounds.

Don't forget that Abregu is a stiff merchant. How many pugs have he fought with a heartbeat? That is what I thought. Not many. He is a hearse chaser, a cadaver snatcher, a zombie collector and a graveyard stalker.
I do not believe for a minute that Abregu is that much better than the "World Kid." Maybe this thing will be a double knockout. Holla!